Thirty-six teachers in the Lake Washington School District achieved National Board Certification, as announced by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. That puts Lake Washington at number 17 on the national list of top 20 districts by number of new National Board Certified Teachers in 2011. There are now 197 certified teachers working full-time in the district’s schools.
Teachers earn this credential through a rigorous assessment that generally takes a year or more to complete. It requires these teachers to demonstrate how their work improves student achievement. As part of the process, teachers build a portfolio that includes student work samples, assignments, videotapes and a thorough analysis of their classroom teaching. Additionally, teachers are assessed on their knowledge of the subjects they teach. It is considered the highest professional certification a teacher can obtain.
Numbers released by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards show that the state of Washington has the second-most new certifications (945), behind only North Carolina, and is fourth overall in the total number of certifications (6,242).
Each teacher achieves certification in a subject area and age range. The new National Board Certified Teachers, along with their fields, are:
Kirkland:
- Discovery Community School: Monica Engquist, Generalist/Middle Childhood
- Franklin Elementary: Jennifer Dressel, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood; Suzanne Hart, Generalist/Middle Childhood; and Lori O’Brien, Generalist/Middle Childhood
- International Community School: Diana Di-Tolla, World Languages Other than English/Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
- Juanita High School: Nichol Cassaro, Mathematics/Adolescence and Young Adulthood; and Barbara Gorgei-Kalhor, Art/Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
- Keller Elementary: Cathy Dunbar, Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
- Kirk Elementary: Alison Underdahl, Mathematics/Early Adolescence
- Kirkland Junior High: Ruth Anderson, World Languages Other than English / Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood; Susan Buyarski-Crauer, Science/Early Adolescence; Beau Hansen, Social Studies – History/Early Adolescence; and James “Ryan” Palmer, Science/Early Adolescence
- Lakeview Elementary: Nancy Knight, Physical Education/Early and Middle Childhood
- Sandburg Elementary: Nadia Armstrong, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood; Kacie Brown, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood; Elizabeth Cheatum, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood; and Karla Nelson, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
Redmond:
- Dickinson Elementary: Karen Kline, Library Media/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
- Redmond High School: Holly Appelgate, Social Studies – History/Adolescence and Young Adulthood; Patrick Frable, English Language Arts/Adolescence and Young Adulthood; Robert Miller, Science/Adolescence and Young Adulthood; and Daniel Pudwill, English Language Arts/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
- Redmond Junior High: Robert Aguilar, Social Studies – History / Adolescence and Young Adulthood
- Rockwell Elementary: Megan Porter, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
- Rush Elementary: Robyn Hodges, Music/Early and Middle Childhood
Sammamish:
- Eastlake High School: Kalle Andres, English Language Arts/Adolescence and Young Adulthood; Tyrell Hardtke, Science/Adolescence and Young Adulthood; Sherilynn Skiba, Mathematics/Adolescence and Young Adulthood; John Stratton, Mathematics/Adolescence and Young Adulthood; and Cassie Wesson-Mast, Mathematics/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
- Inglewood Junior High: Gerald Lenocker, Social Studies – History/Adolescence and Young Adulthood; Eric Sambrano, Mathematics/Early Adolescence; and Heather Tracy, Physical Education/Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
- McAuliffe Elementary: Anna Jaross, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
- Smith Elementary: Kathy Hiles, Generalist/Middle Childhood
To learn more about the process, visit the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards website.
